The present invention relates to a machine or apparatus for installing a longitudinal edge portion of a fabric silt fence into the ground so that a major portion of the fabric projects above the ground and is supported by longitudinally spaced vertical stakes. Various forms of such machines or apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,705,427, 5,915,878, 6,053,665 and 6,158,923. The ""427 patent discloses apparatus having a plow shoe to form an open furrow into which an edge portion of a perforated film is rolled into the furrow by a wheel, after which the ground is plowed back into the furrow with a disc. In the ""878 patent, a rotary disc cuts a slot into the ground, and a rotary wheel feeds a rope from a supply roll into the bottom of the slot along with an edge portion of a fabric silt fence wrapped around the rope. The frame supports a roll of silt fence along with a spool of rope. The ""665 patent discloses apparatus for installing a silt fence fabric having an enlarged edge portion which is fed through a slotted channel within the back of a blade having a vertical ground cutting edge. The ""923 patent discloses a machine for forming a trench within the ground, inserting a silt fence fabric while driving preattached stakes into the ground and then backfilling the trench.
The present invention is directed to an improved and simplified machine or apparatus which is adapted to mount on a tractor for forming a narrow slot within the ground and folding a lower edge portion of a silt fence fabric directly into the narrow slot without requiring a silt fence fabric having an enlarged lower edge portion or the use of a continuous rope to enlarge the lower edge portion of the fabric. The apparatus of the invention also uses commercially available silt fence material or fabric and provides for conveniently and quickly compacting the soil adjacent the narrow slot which receives the folded edge portion of the silt fence. In addition, the invention includes a stake driving apparatus which may also be mounted on the tractor for quickly and conveniently driving or pressing silt fence stakes into the ground adjacent the lower edge portion of the fence.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a fabricated steel frame having a three point hitch for mounting the frame on the hydraulically controlled and rear projecting lift arms of a conventional tractor. The frame supports a flat vertical plow blade having a downwardly and forwardly curved front surface and a downwardly and rearwardly curved rear surface. The frame also includes a pair of parallel spaced horizontal arms or rails which support an adjustable shaft extending through the tubular core of a supply roll of the silt fence fabric.
A horizontal fabric guide rod or bar is positioned above the rear surface of the plow blade and supports a flat vertical fin behind the plow blade and having a downwardly and rearwardly curved front surface which cooperates with the rear surface of the plow blade to define a curved slot for receiving an intermediate portion of the fabric web directed from the supply roll around the fabric guide rod or bar. As the plow blade is pulled through the soil or ground, it forms a narrow vertical slot, and the fin cooperates with the ground for progressively folding and inserting an edge portion of the fabric web and with the upper portion of the fabric web overlying the ground surface. The front and rear wheels of the tractor are then driven over the ground where the folded edge portion of the fabric web is inserted to compact the ground firmly around the folded edge portion and thereby lock the edge portion into the ground. A series of horizontally spaced wood stakes are then driven or pressed into the ground adjacent the inserted folded edge portion of the fabric by a hydraulically actuated cylinder device mounted on the tractor between the front and rear wheels and inboard of the wheels. The upper portion of the fence is then attached to the wood stakes. The stakes may also be steel rebar stakes with a cap member mounted on the upper end portion of each rebar stake for attaching the upper portion of the fabric to the stakes to form the silt fence.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.